Christmas Lights
Do you have that one friend or relative who always needs just one—or two or three or…—more strings of lights for the tree? Well, the rest of us may shake our heads in disbelief at some point, but we can’t get away from the fact that Christmas lights on the Christmas tree, or on and around the house, are a big part of many people’s decorations.
But as I was reading Timothy Keller’s book, Hidden Christmas, I was reminded of the fact that Christmas is the time when we celebrate the entrance into the world of Jesus who is the Light of the world. In that context, lights—and even more lights—just seem appropriate, don’t they?
Keller reminds us that Isaiah spoke of this light. He prophesied, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2).
This is a clear reference to Jesus, who tells us that He is “the light of the world” (John 8:12). But what does it mean for us that He is the light? Keller suggests three really amazing ways our light, the sun, relates to this Light, who is the Son.
First, the sun gives us life[1] .Sunlight is essential to all life on earth. Well, I suppose there are a few exceptions, life forms deep in caves, or deep in the ocean. But even those creatures rely on the effects of the sun for food, for heat, or other more scientific effects the sun has on our earth. And, of course, we have Jesus own statement that His is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
Second, the sun shows us the truth.[2] Just as the physical sun lights our way, revealing pitfalls to avoid, so the Son, the Light of the world, teaches us how to avoid dangers we encounter in our daily lives, in our daily struggles with our enemy the devil who “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
And third, the sun is beautiful.[3] I’ve just come back from a week at the beach. Each morning I would get up early to watch the sun rise over the ocean. There is nothing quite like the beauty of that rising sun as it flashes colors only God could think of across the sky, slowly illuminating everything around in its growing light. Each morning I had the truth of Psalm 19:1 displayed before me: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
One last thought. You recall the story in John 9 when Jesus healed the man blind from birth. John tells us,
“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’
“‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’” (John 9:1-5)
As you are looking at the lights this Christmas season, remember that Jesus came to display the works of God. One of those works is the work of redemption that His death accomplished for those who accept this precious gift. Jesus came to shine a light on the darkness in your own life and dispel it with His light. He came to illuminate the way for you to live eternally in the light of the lamb (Revelation 22:5)!“The Christmas message is that ‘on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.’ Notice that it doesn’t say from the world a light has sprung, but upon the world a light has dawned. It has come from outside. There is light outside of this world, and Jesus has brought that light to save us; indeed, he is the Light (John 8:12).”[4]
